Improvement in wagon-tongues



G. N. Tums. WAGON-TONGUE.

Patented. Sep'c.11,'l877.

INVENTOR N aka/L (/41 246 ITNESSES ATTORNEY Nv PETERS.PHOTO-UTHDGEIZPHEE WASHINGTON D C.

UNITED STATES OFFICE.

GEORGE NELSON TUBES, OF LYONS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD HIS RIGHT TOFREDRIOK LINDMEIER, OF CLINTON COUNTY, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WAGON-TONGUES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 195,057. datedSeptember 11, 1877; application filed June 27, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE NELsoN (Evans, ofLyons city, in the county of Clinton and State of Iowa, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Wagon-Tongues; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section,enlarged. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line a; as, looking towardthe end of the tongue.

My invention relates to that class of wagons used on farms, and drawn bythe same teams which are used in plowing and harrowing, and with mowersand reapers, 85c.

- It is well known that in changing a team from a plow or otherfarmingmachine to a wagon it is necessary to change the length of thetugs or traces, which is often very difficult when v the buckles arerusty and the leather is hard and stiff.

The object of this invention is to obviate this difficulty, which isaccomplished by means of an adjustable sleeve, having proper lugs tohold the ring of the neck-yoke, and arranged over the forward part ofthe tongue of the wagon, to be moved backward or forward, to adjust itto the length of the traces, and is held in place by a pawl and ratchetteeth and a spring-holder, as hereinafter more fully explained. v

In the drawings, A B 0 D represent, respectively, the tongue, thehounds, the whiffletrees, and the neck-yoke, having the ring d. E is thesleeve, adjusted over the tongue, and provided on the top with holes a,and on the lowerpart with thelugsbc. Fisaspring-holder, attached on thetop of the tongue, and bent at the forward end to enter one of the holesa in the sleeve. G is the usual iron plate, extending around the end,above and below, and bolted to the tongue, and is provided on the lowerpart with the ratchet-teeth g corresponding in distance apart with theholes a in the upper part of the sleeve. H is a pawl,

pivoted to the lugs 12, and arranged to engage the ratchet-teethg in theplate G of the tongue. J represents a rubber spring or bearing, attachedto the lug'c of the sleeve, and adjusted to bear against the under sideof the pawl to hold it in the ratchet-teeth.

While using a team in plowing or harrowing the traces are usuallyextended to a greater length than required in using the team to a wagon.

When the team is to be changed from the plow to the wagon, instead ofshortening the traces the tongue of the Wagon is virtually lengthened bymoving forward the sleeve on the tongue sufficiently to adjust it to thelength of the traces.

When a team of mules or small horses, requiring a shorter tongue, is tobe attached to the wagon, instead of lengthening the traces the lengthof the tongue is adjusted to the shorter team by moving the sleevebackward on the tongue. The rubber bearing J allows the pawl to besprung over the ratchet-teeth in moving the sleeve backward, and, whenadjusted at the required position, holds the pawl securely in theratchetteeth. The holder F, being raised to allow the sleeve to be movedbackward or forward, springs into one of the holes a when the sleeve isproperly adjusted, holding it from moving forward.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- Theadjustable sleeve E, having holdbacklugs 12 c, pawl H, and elasticbearing J, in combination with the tongue A, having ratchetteeth 9, andspring-holder F, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I aflixhereto my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE NELSON TUBES.

Witnesses:

WM. W. SANBORN, A. H. PADDOGK.

